Beach umbrella article storage accessory

ABSTRACT

For the temporary storage of sundry articles, such as clothing, keys, coins, and the like on beach-type umbrellas, an article storage accessory of cylindrical shape is threaded onto the support pole of the umbrella and clamped in place by means of screws extending through threaded openings through the cylinder wall. Various means, such as hooks or rails, are provided on the cylinder accessory, including, optionally, a bowl threaded onto the pole, providing means in or on which various articles can be stored. In one embodiment, the umbrella poll comprises two segments normally joined together at ends of the two segments. In this embodiment, the storage accessory comprises a tubular member interposed between the two segments and end connected to each. The tubular member includes means, such as extending hooks, for the storage of articles thereon.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to large umbrellas, such as beach and gardenumbrellas, comprising a canopy stretched over a rib frame mounted on asupport pole, and particularly to accessories attachable to the supportpoles by means of which various articles such as keys and clothing andthe like can be temporarily stored.

Because beach and garden type umbrellas are of relatively large size,and thus of necessity firmly anchored in place when in use, it is commonto hang various articles, such as towels or clothing, from the umbrellaribs for temporary storage. The purpose of the present invention is toincrease the storage capacity of such umbrellas by the use of articlestorage accessories mounted on the umbrella support poles.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An article storage accessory is mounted on, or incorporated as part of,a support pole of an umbrella. In a preferred embodiment, the accessorycomprises a hollow cylinder which is slid onto an umbrella support poleand locked in place by clamping means comprising one or more screwsextending radially through the cylinder wall and into contact with thepole. The cylinder includes means, such as outwardly extending hooks, orapertured members, by which various articles, such as clothing,eyeglasses, and the like, can be draped or hung. For still furtherincreasing storage capacity, a bowl-like member, with a central openingthrough the bottom wall of the bowl, is mounted on the support pole. Thebottom wall of the bowl rests on an upper portion of the article storageaccessory. In another embodiment, the accessory comprises an elongatedcylinder disposed in end-to-end, interconnected relation with twosegments of an umbrella pole normally connected to one-another. Articlestoring means, such as coat hanger type hooks, are disposed on theinterposed cylinder.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the accompanying drawings, which are not drawn to scale, likereference denote like components; and

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of a portion of a beach-type umbrellashowing an article storing accessory clamped to the umbrella supportpole;

FIG. 1A shows a variation in the shape of screw knobs shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the article storing accessory shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 2A is a view similar to that of FIG. 2 but showing the articlestoring accessory serving as a means for locking the ends of umbrella

FIG. 3 is a partially exploded view, in perspective, of a variation ofthe article storing accessory shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and showing anarticle storage bowl;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but showing another variation of thearticle storing accessory;

FIG. 5 is a view in perspective showing an article storing accessory foruse with a two-part umbrella support pole;

FIG. 6 shows a variation of the article storing accessory shown in FIG.5 including the addition of a storage bowl similar to that shown in FIG.3; and

FIG. 7 is a view similar to that of FIG. 2 but showing the articlestoring accessory mounted on an umbrella support pole and serving as ameans for locking the umbrella in closed condition.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As previously explained, a purpose of the invention is to providearticle storage means on the support poles of large, beach-typeumbrellas. One such umbrella 10 is partially shown in FIG. 1 andcomprises a canopy 12 mounted on ribs 13 secured to the end of a supportpole 14. The ribs 13 extend beyond the canopy 12 and, typically,terminate in little spheres 13 a. The present invention involvesmounting one or more article storing accessories on an umbrella supportpole. A first example of such an accessory is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 andcomprises a hollow cylinder 20 having a main circular wall 21 having aninner diameter, e.g., ranging between ¾ and 1 ⅞ inches, large enough tofit onto typical umbrella support poles, and having a length, a matterof choice, of around several inches. For clamping the cylinder 20 ontoan umbrella support pole, the cylinder includes three spaced apartblocks 24 each including a radially extending screw hole for receipt ofa screw 26. The screws (FIG. 2) extend entirely through the blocks 24and terminate in flat inner ends 28 which are capped with a layer 29 ofrubber or the like for clamping engagement with a pole on which thecylinder is mounted. The rubber caps 29 allow tight clamping forpreventing slippage but without damage to the pole. The screw outer endsterminate in small knobs 30 by means of which the screws can be turnedfor advancing or retracting them within the block screw holes.

In use, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the cylinder 20 is slid onto anumbrella pole, positioned at a desired height along the pole, and theknobs 30 rotated for advancing the screws 26 for clamping the cylinderagainst the support pole. (The selection of screw pitch, screw diameter,knob diameter, and the like, for enabling screwing of the screw frontends, by hand, into firmly clamped relation with the umbrella pole iswell within the ability of persons of skill in the related mechanicalarts.)

The cylinder 20 provides means for storing articles on the umbrella and,to this end, straps or rails 34, generally concentric to the cylinder20, are provided extending between adjacent blocks 24. The rails arespaced from the cylinder outer wall and provide storage for objectswhich can be hung from the rails or wedged behind the rails. FIG. 1, forexample, shows a pair of eyeglasses suspended from a rail 34.

Additional article hanging means are provided by the radially outwardlyextending portions of the screws 26 which serve as hanger bars fromwhich clothes hangers and other articles can be suspended. Similarly,the screw knobs 30 serve as hooks from which clothing and other articlescan be draped. In FIG. 1A, knobs 30A are shown with a cross-shape forbetter grip of objects draped over the knobs.

For providing additional storage capacity, a bowl 40 (FIG. 3), having(FIG. 4) a central opening 41 through the bottom wall, is slid onto thesupport pole and rests on an upper end of the cylinder. For preventingthe bowl from blocking free access to the portions of the cylinderproviding storage capacity (that is, the rails 34, the screws 26 and thescrew knobs 30) the cylinder 45 shown in FIG. 3 is somewhat elongated,compared to the cylinder 20 shown in FIG. 1, and a ring or ledge 46 isprovided on the cylinder 45 adjacent to its upper end. When the bowl 40is in place, the cylinder upper end (see, also, FIG. 4) extends into thebowl bottom opening with the edge of the opening resting on the cylinderledge. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, a cylinder 50 is usedincluding only a single screw 26 extending through the cylinder wall.While the use of but one screw instead of the three screws shown in FIG.1 reduces the storage capacity of the cylinder shown in FIG. 4, anadvantage of the FIG. 4 cylinder, in comparison with the FIG. 1cylinder, is that it is somewhat less expensive to manufacture. In termsof clamping the cylinder to the umbrella support pole, quitesatisfactory results are obtained using but the one screw.

Another variation shown in FIG. 4 is the use of hooks 52, similar tothose used on a coat hanger, mounted on and extending outwardly from acircular rail 54 mounted on the cylinder 50. Large fabric items, such asclothing and beach towels, can be hung from the hooks.

A further function of the cylinder, as shown in FIG. 7, is to serve hasa means for locking the umbrella in its closed position. To this end,the cylinder is positioned at the bottom end of the pole, the canopy isclosed, and the outer ends 13 a of the canopy ribs 13 are inserted intospaces provided by the cylinder. Such spaces, as shown in FIG. 1, 2 and7, comprise the spaces between the straps 34 and the main circular wall21 of the cylinder.

With reference to FIG. 5, a storage accessory 70 is shown for use withumbrella support poles comprising upper 66 and lower 68 pole segmentsnormally connected in end-to-end relationship. In accordance with thepresent invention, the storage accessory 70, comprising an elongatedcylinder, is interposed between the two pole segments 66 and 68 withopposite ends of the cylinder 70 being connected to the pole segments.The interconnections between the cylinder 70 ends and the respectivepole segment ends can be similar to the interconnections between thepole segments. As shown in FIG. 5, by way of example, the lower end 76of the upper pole segment 66 extends into the upper end 72 of thecylinder 70 in tight relation there within. The lower end 74 of thecylinder 70 terminates in several inwardly tapering prongs 75 (shownmore clearly in FIG. 6) for facilitating insertion of the cylinder lowerend 74 into tight fit within the upper end 78 of the lower pole segment68.

Disposed at the upper end of the cylinder 70, in this embodiment, are anumber of hooks 64 providing storage capacity for various articles suchas clothing and the like.

FIG. 6 shows certain variations in the storage accessory shown in FIG.5. Thus, a circular rail 54—hook 64 arrangement similar to that shown inFIG. 4 is used in connection with a storage cylinder accessory 80. FIG.6 additionally shows the use of a storage bowl 40 for mounting on aledge 46 on the cylinder 80 similarly as shown in FIG. 4.

A further function of the cylinder shown in FIG. 7 is to serve as ameans for locking the umbrella in its closed position. To this end, thecylinder is positioned at the bottom end of the pole, the canopy isclosed, and the outer ends 13 a of the canopy ribs 13 are inserted intospaces provided by the cylinder. Such spaces, as shown in FIG. 7,comprise the space between the inner surface of the cylinder and thepole, and the spaces between the straps 34 and the main body of thecylinder. Thus the cylinder has a dual function. It can function tosecure the rib ends of the umbrella, when the umbrella is closed, and itcan function as an article storage element when the umbrella is open. Ingeneral, umbrellas may be formed with various kinds of hook designs, ofdifferent sizes, molded onto the lower part of the umbrella that slidesup and down the pole of the umbrella to open and close it.

1. An accessory for adding article storage capacity to a support pole ofa beach-type umbrella, said accessory comprising a hollow cylinderincluding means for fixedly mounting said cylinder on a support pole,said mounting means comprising a screw extending through a threadedopening through a wall portion of said cylinder, a front end of saidscrew extending inwardly from said opening into the interior of saidcylinder, and a rear end of said screw extending outwardly from saidcylinder wall portion and having an exposed length from which articlescan be hung.
 2. An accessory according to claim i wherein said rear endof said screw terminates in a knob.
 3. An accessory according to claim 2wherein said knob has a cross-shape.
 4. An accessory according to claim1 including a rail mounted on said cylinder wall in a directiongenerally transverse to a central axis of the cylinder and includingportions spaced apart from said cylinder wall.
 5. An accessory accordingto claim 4 including two blocks mounted on said cylinder wall, and saidrail comprising a strap secured to and extending between said blocks. 6.An accessory according to claim 1 including a cap of resilient materialmounted on said screw front end.
 7. An accessory according to claim 5wherein each of said blocks includes a screw threaded passageway, andincluding two additional of said screws each of which extends through arespective passageway.
 8. An accessory according to claim 4 wherein saidrail defines a space shaped to receive, when the accessory is mounted onan umbrella support pole, outer ends of ribs of the umbrella for lockingthe ribs of the umbrella in its closed position.
 9. An accessoryaccording to claim 1 wherein said screw is one of a plurality of screwssubstantially identical in structure and function spaced equally aroundthe hollow cylinder.
 10. An accessory for adding article storagecapacity to a support pole of a beach-type umbrella, said polecomprising two segments each having an end coupling allowing end-to-endjoining of said segments into a single pole, said accessory comprising atubular member having, at opposite ends thereof, couplings correspondingto the couplings at the ends of said pole segments allowinginterconnecting said accessory between said two pole segments forforming a unitary pole, and said accessory including means by whichsundry articles can be stored.
 11. An accessory according to claim 10wherein said article storing means comprises an extending hook.
 12. Anaccessory for adding article storage capacity to a support pole of abeach type umbrella including a canopy mounted on ribs pivotally securedto said pole, said accessory comprising a hollow cylinder includingmeans for fixedly mounting said cylinder on a support pole, and saidcylinder including a rail both for defining a space for receipt of endsof said ribs for locking said umbrella in a closed position and fromwhich sundry articles can be hung for storage.